Joint digger and cleaner for concrete pavements



R. L. TRAIL Feb. 13, 1951 JOINT DIGGER AND CLEANER FOR CONCRETE PAVEMENTS.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 2, 1948 Inventor Robert L. Trail g mwo and ao/iam Wavy 3m R. L. TRAIL Feb 13, 1951 JOINT DIGGER AND CLEANER FOR CONCRETE PAVEMENTS v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 2, 1948 Robert L Trail Patented Feb. 13, 1951 NT OFFICE JOINT BIGGER AND CLEANERFOR CON CRETE PAVEMENTS Robert L. Trail, Sherman, Tex. Application April 2, 1948, Serial-No. 18,624;

3 Claims.

This invention relates to novel. and useful improvements in devices for removing the. usual filler from between concrete sections in roadways, air-strips and the like.

An object of this invention is to clean the conwentional filler from between the sections of concrete highways, air-strips and the like by mechanical means.

Another object of this invention is. to urge a tool or cutter between, the conventional. roadway sections, which cutter is capable of. various adiustments' to compensate for-the depth to be out.

Another object of this invention is; to: resiliently bias a frame which has. said cutter supported thereon and to selectively raise and lower the frame against the biasing force of the resilient biasing means.

Another object of this invention is. to control the depth of cut to be takenby means which is easily accessible from a convenient location on a conventional prime mover, such as a tractor or like.

Another object of this invention: is to support the frame having the tool thereon in such amanner so as to be capable of slight lateralmovement to compensate. for certain irregularities in the street which would tend to tilt the prime mover or to compensate for slight deviationstronr the proper course of travel of the. primemover.

Another purpose of this invention. is to clean the filler from between conventional concrete sections of roads, air-strips and the like by improved means. whichv substantially obviates the necessity of manual cleaning.

Other objects and features of. novelty will become apparent in following the description of a preferred form of the invention, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational side view'of the preferred form of the invention,. showing. the same in use with a conventional primemover, a: tractor in this instance;

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken substantially on the line-Z-Z of Figure 1 and in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a sectional viewv illustrating a detailed construction and taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 and inthe direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view of the invention, taken substantially onthe line 4- 3 of Figure 1 and in. thev direction of the. arrows;

Figure 5 is a perspective view. of. the: bracket utilized in clamping the cylinderpiston construction to a tractor or other suitable prime mover;

Figure 6 is a perspective. view. of a portion of the frame forming part of the invention and having the cutting tool associated therewith; and

Figure 7 is an end view ofthe detailed construction. illustrated in Figure 5.

This invention has been developed to providea device for removing the conventional filler normally present between concrete sections inaircraftv runways, roads,jstreets and other concrete structures. The primefield; ofutility-of thepresent. invention is in association with the abovementioned appurtenances and the machine" was designed to eliminate cleaning and removing by hand al-ifiller from: joints inconcretepavement. Thiswork has previously been done by hand and must be periodically performed, so that additional filler may' be placed in: the joints between the concrete, toprevent water from entering and undermining the foundation and base of the pavement.

The old filler is first removed, which filler also includes a function of serving: as an expansion joint, by abit ordigger: or: other cutting: tool, which is pressed into the joint and: moved forward by means of a: conventional. prime mover such as the tractor illustratedv in Figure 1. The filler isremoved" by'plowing'or gouging the bituminous material from. the joint.

Referring now torthe illustrated preferred'form of: the invention, theconventional: tractor isigenerally indicated at it and is provided with all'of the usual appurtenances contiguous toa tractor; These appurtenances include the rear wheels" [2 and I4 respectivelyas wellas-the axle housing It extending therebetween.

A frame composed of any suitable material suchas angle iron, I -beams and: the like is supplied and is adapted to be secured. to the. undercarriage of the conventional tractor. The specific points of attachment may be the axle housing It, if sodesired. When the axle housing is utilized as an attachment point (see Figure 29' the bearings or brackets which are illustrated in Figure 3- may be utilized. Here a conventional strapis is attached around; the axle housing It and a substantial shackle 20 is attached theretoby meansof conventional screws with nuts 22.

These shackles 26 may be of Ll-sha-ped construction as isseen in Figure 1 for reception of the termiI-i'alv portions of the said.- frame. The specific. structure of. the frame: includes a side member: 24 which. is substantially straight and a second; side. member 2t" having an offset portion in order to' 'direct an attachment to the aXlehousing. I6 adjacent the opposite wheel M. It is readilyapparent from inspection of. Figure 3 that the.- terminal. portion. of the said side member 24 is. seated on and; pivotally engaged. with a pin '28. which might be'a conventional. screw with a nut 36 fixed thereto; Careful inspection of Eigu-ra3: also discloses a plurality of. washers. 32 used. for. centering the terminal portion. ofthe frame members 24 and 26 within the shackle 24. These washers may be of conventional type. However, it is desirable that slight lateral movement be present at this point of the frame in order to compensate for various irregularities in the air-strip or the like and also to compensate for imperfect steering of the tractor If). It will be noted that little movement of the frame at this connection will result in a rather large movement at the opposite end of the frame wherein the tool is positioned. The washers 32 may be of conventional locking type or even more resilient such as certain types of rubber.

Reviewing now Figure 6 it will be seen that the terminals of the frame members 24 and 25 respectively are spaced slightly and a pair of plates 35 and 35 respectively seat on the inner surfaces of the said frame members. These plates are also mutually spaced in order to accommodate a Work or cutting tool. The preferred cutting tool is in the form of a plate 38 having an aperture therein for accommodation of a pivot pin 35. The said pivot pin extends through the plates 3% and 35 as well as the side or frame members 24 and 26. An additional pin or bolt 4 extends through the plates 34 and 36 at a position to restrict the pivotal travel of the said plate 38. Further, a bearing block 46 is attached to the undersurfaces of the frame members 24 and 26 for strengthening purposes as well as for limiting the travel of the cutting plate or tool 38 in pivotal movement.

The leading edge or forward portion of the said cutting plate 38 is in the nature of a guide as well as a cutter and a protuberance 48 is formed on the said plate 38 for additional cutting operations along the edges or sides of the space between the concrete sections of roads, air-strips and the like. It is noted that the plate 38 and the protuberance @8 may be of very hard metal for wear resistant purposes. Further, the

plate 38 is detachable in nature whereby a plurality of different shapes or sizes of plate 38 may be inserted.

Means for raising and lowering the frame is provided. The preferred means consists of a conventional pump 50 which is attached to the conventional tractor 55 adjacent the seat 52 thereof and a selector valve 54 associated there with. This selector valve is of course manually operated and a plurality of conduits properly positioned and properly connected inter-communicate the pump 59 and the selector valve. A storage tank 56 is also supplied in the hydraulic system serving a conventional function.

Referring now to Figure a suitable bracket having a back plate 88 and a pair of side plates 62 and 6 respectively is illustrated. This plate is attached to the side of a tractor ill by conventional means and has a cylinder 65 attached between the side members 62 and 64 through the medium of suitable bolts or the like 61 extending through the apertures 66 formed in the top portion 68 of the said bracket. This cylinder has a conventional piston 16 slidably received therein with a piston rod l2 extending therefrom. The said piston rod terminates in a cup-like element 14 which seats on a suitable plate 15. The said suitable plate 56 is rigidly secured to the frame and as the piston If) is actuated in the cylinder 65, the piston rod 12 will be selectively urged for forcing the frame in a downward direction, pivotally about the pins 28.

It will be noted that the cup-like member 14 is non-circular and the piston rod 12 is permitted to travel somewhat therein. This forms a lost motion connection between the piston rod 12 and the frame to compensate for the pivotal movement of the said frame.

As stated above the piston rod merely urges the frame 24 in the downward direction and resilient means is utilized for returning the frame. The preferable resilient means consists of a spring which is attached to a suitable bracket or perch 82, which is in turn attached to the side element 24 of the frame. The upper end of the spring 8!] is attached to a perch 86 which is in turn rigidly secured to the side 6d of the said bracket illustrated in Figure 5.

In the fluid flow system a conduit 88 attaches to a lower portion of the said cylinder 65, beneath the piston Ill. Fluid is supplied thereto through the medium of flexible conduits 9i) and 92 respectively which are operatively associated with the selector valve and the pump. The same conduits are, of course, used for fluid return as is conventional in certain types of constructions.

While there has been described but a preferred form of the invention, it is apparent that variations may be made without departing from the spirit thereof. Accordingly, limitation is sought only in accordance with the scope of the following claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a road filler removing device, a prime mover, a frame, means for pivotally securing said frame to said prime mover, fluid actuated means for pivotally actuating said frame, means for resiliently biasing said frame, cutting means having a guide associated therewith attached to said frame, said pivotal securing means including a bracket having a pivot pin, said pivot pin being journalled in said bracket, and resilient centering means associated with said pin permitting slight movement of said frame in a direction substantially transversely of the pivotal movement of the frame.

2. In a road filler removing device, a prime mover, a frame, means for pivotally securing said frame to said prime mover, fluid actuated means for pivotally actuating said frame, resilient means for lifting said frame and opposing the operation of aid fluid actuated means, a cutter, a pair of spaced plates attached to said frame and forming a guide for said cutter, means pivotally mounting said cutter between said plates, said fluid actuated means including a pump mounted on said prime mover, a cylinder having a piston associated with said pump, lost motion means for connecting said piston and said frame, said lost motion means including a non-circular cup attached to said frame having the piston rod seated therein, and means for maintaining-said frame in selected elevated position.

3. The combination of claim 2 and stops operatively connected with said plates and said cutter to limit the pivotal movement of said cutter.

ROBERT L. TRAIL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the Zimmerman Nov. 22, 1938 Keeler Aug. 15, 1939 Number 

